To put it plain and simple, people like to travel. The young and the restless are what young adults are branded as, resulting in their constant urge to take off without a moment’s notice to a foreign place. Burlington College students feel this itch that wants to be scratched. This itch has caused hundreds of students at Burlington College to marvel at the chance to expand their horizons and submerge themselves in a culture that is completely opposite of the green mountain state they have known to call home. These particular students have taken the chance to experience the limitless opportunities the study abroad program at Burlington College has to offer, while being able to meet people with similar interests of their own.

What is the Program?

The Study Abroad Program is called Study Art and Design in Paris. In this program students are able to travel to the city of Paris and learn the history of art, while earning three interdisciplinary, undergraduate course credits. Now one might disregard this type of travel because of the price tag that goes along with flying to another country and living in a reputably expensive city. However, Burlington College has made this six week trip completely affordable to students, while being able to gain course credits through the college when overseas. Emily Schmidt, program director is the coordinator behind the trip that students jump at the opportunity to attend.

What Do the Students Do?

The program is a six week intensive studio art/art history course focusing on the art, architecture, culture and history of Paris. Five students took advantage of this opportunity that began on May 16-June 27th where they visited over nine famous landmarks in Paris, including The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and The Latin Quarter. The first three weeks of the program were spent learning the history and culture of Parisian art; the rest of the time was spent in the city of Paris, working on pieces focusing on the students’ particular medium of art.

The Purpose of Paris

The purpose of the program is to allow students to increase their knowledge on different artistic techniques practiced all over the world. Paris has a city full of art, ranging from its architecture, to pieces in its museums dating back to centuries ago. To be honest, who wouldn’t want to post up beside the Eiffel Tower with a crescent and a blank canvas full of endless possibilities?

For these reasons, Burlington College wants their students to take advantage of the chance to study abroad in future years to come. The College will continue to fund the program year after year in an effort to help students gain a well-rounded education in the arts while getting a splash of foreign culture never thought imaginable before.